Hello there, Irana here…
Yes, yes, I know what you're thinking. "Irana, do you really have to introduce yourself every time you write this?" Well, how else would you know it was me? Exactly. Now, moving on—
I'm currently on a mission. No, not that mission. I know you think you already know what I'm talking about, but trust me, this one's different. Right now, I'm literally inside a dimensional crack alongside Viola and another Esper named Ariana Freesia.
And let me tell you, the first thing I noticed? Her name. Ariana Freesia. It sounds way too similar to my Onee-chan's. It's like someone just took Aria and slapped an "Ana" on it—Aria-Ana. Weird, right? I even asked her how I should address her before we entered the dimensional crack. Her response?
"F*ck off."
Such a profanity.
Honestly, with that kind of attitude, it's no surprise that her ability is fire manipulation. The girl practically radiates aggression. Her long red hair should've been a dead giveaway. And of course, as fate would have it, I—a cryo user—am now stuck on a mission with her.
I should have known from the start that this wouldn't go well. It's almost impossible to coordinate our abilities. That's what separates us from high-level Espers—adaptation and teamwork. And right now, Ariana seems to have no concept of either.
A sudden movement catches my eye. I spot a mole-like monster lunging toward her from behind.
"Ariana, behind you!!" I shout, hoping she'll listen.
"Tch. Shut up… and just observe from over there!!" she snaps back, barely sparing me a glance.
Then, as if to prove a point, she casually smacks the creature away with the back of her hand before engulfing it in flames. The thing lets out a distorted screech before turning into nothing but charred remains.
Viola, standing beside me, crosses her arms. "Leave it, Irana… Let's see how long she can keep up that attitude."
Great. Viola's annoyed too. Not that I blame her.
I want to argue that we should work together or at least try to get along. But honestly, Ariana is starting to get on my nerves. I have no idea how she expects to handle this alone when this is clearly meant to be a team mission.
I sigh, lowering my voice. "Why did we have to get stuck with such an eccentric teammate…"
I can't help but think about how much easier this would be if Onee-chan were here instead. If she knew she had powers, maybe she could've been my teammate.
Just imagining it makes me want to run up to her and say, "Onee-chan, you're an Esper!"
But then again… that would probably make me a wanted criminal in the eyes of the Esper Association.
Yeah. Maybe I should hold off on that.
I observe Ariana as she fights, and I can't help but notice just how unconventional her combat style is. There's no real form, no clear technique—it's wild, instinctive, almost reckless. If I had to guess, I'd say she taught herself how to fight. No proper training, no mentor, just raw experience and brute force.
And yet… despite the chaotic way she moves, there's an undeniable efficiency to how she uses her power. Every burst of fire is controlled, and every attack is precise. She knows exactly how to manipulate her flames for maximum damage while keeping herself out of harm's way. It's clear she's been using her ability for a long time.
Still, the lack of coordination is frustrating. She doesn't strategize or communicate; she just charges like she's the only one here. I exchange a glance with Viola, who looks just as unimpressed.
Then, suddenly—
BOOM!
The ground trembles as a massive creature erupts from the earth. A mole, but not like the others. This one is huge, towering over the battlefield, its sharp claws glinting under the dim glow of Ariana's flames.
Viola clicks her tongue. "This is the boss monster, I guess?"
I exhale, crossing my arms. "She really almost soloed this whole thing. All that's left now is to take down that big mole."
But as I watch Ariana face off against the beast, I start to wonder… Can she really handle this alone?
"Woah… that's big," Ariana muttered, her eyes narrowing as she took a few steps back, assessing the towering mole-like monster in front of her.
Without hesitation, she clapped her palms together, and in an instant, a burst of flames erupted from her back. The heat distorted the air around her as she spread her arms wide before snapping them forward, aiming directly at the monstrous mole. The flames that had gathered behind her shot forward in rapid succession, like a machine gun unleashing a relentless barrage of fire.
That's… impressive.
I had assumed she fought without technique, but seeing this, I realized I might have underestimated her. The way she controlled the fire, the sheer precision in her movements—this wasn't just raw power. She had skill. Maybe I could replicate that with my own ability?
Just as I was about to try, Viola's voice cut through my thoughts.
"Irana, watch out!!"
Before I could react, she grabbed me, and in the next moment, everything blurred. My vision twisted, colours blending together before snapping back into focus. Teleportation… Viola teleported me away.
"What the—?!" I was confused about what had happened, but then I saw it.
The ground beneath Ariana shifted violently, and suddenly, a swarm of smaller mole-like creatures burst forth, their beady eyes glinting with hostility. There were dozens of them, maybe even more, spreading out in all directions like an incoming wave.
"Holy… Where did all these little moles come from?" I muttered before gritting my teeth. "Viola, prepare for battle. Don't let any of them reach Ariana!"
"Got it," Viola said, her voice steady.
This was my chance. If Ariana could unleash a machine-gun barrage of flames, then maybe I could do something similar. I clapped my hands together, focusing my energy. A chilling wind surged around me, and I felt the cold condense at my back.
"Whoa… I didn't know you could create snow too," Viola remarked, glancing at the frost forming around us.
"Snow counts as ice, right?" I shot back with a smirk.
I spread my arms wide, just like Ariana had, then thrust them forward. A blast of snow and ice shot out in front of me, pelting the advancing swarm like a winter storm. But unlike Ariana, my enemies weren't a single target—they were many. So I quickly adjusted, spreading my arms wide again to cast my attack across a larger area.
The technique was overpowered.
The tiny moles were instantly slowed, some even freezing solid on the spot. I grinned—now this is teamwork.